Tree service in Dallas

Dallas's Article X protects most trees in the city by class, location and size, and removed protected trees generally have to be replaced inch for inch. The single-family exemption covers lots under two acres with a home on them. Larger single-family lots and vacant lots need a tree removal application or a building permit before trees come down.

For a teardown, timing is everything. A lot is treated as vacant on the date the demolition permit is submitted, and its trees are protected from that date, with a tree survey and protection plan required. Trees in the public right-of-way need the city arborist involved. If you're planning to rebuild, talk to the city about the trees before filing for demolition, and confirm the current code, since the city's manual dates from 2019.

Dallas sits in Oncor's delivery area (Power to Choose lists Oncor for ZIP 75201, and a ZIP can cross city lines, so check your bill). Oncor trims trees near its high-voltage lines between poles; that pole-to-pole work must be done by Oncor. Trimming for looks is the owner's job and cost. The service line from the pole to your house is your responsibility, and Oncor suggests a private arborist plus a temporary disconnect, which carries a charge.

Texas law bars anyone from working, or bringing tools, within six feet of a high-voltage overhead line without safety arrangements, and work closer than that needs 48 hours' notice to the line operator. Ask any crew how they'll handle limbs near the lines. To report a hazardous tree near lines, call Oncor at 888-313-6862, or 911 if there's fire or sparking.

HomeGuide's national figures (early 2026) put tree removal at $400 to $1,200 on average, from about $200 for a small tree to $3,000 for a large or complex one. Trimming runs $400 to $900 per tree, and stump grinding $120 to $400 for the first stump plus $30 to $60 for each extra one. Texas sales tax applies to tree removal, pruning and spraying. The Texas tree service guide has more.

Ask what credentials a crew holds, and know what each one means. ISA Certified Arborist is a credential from a professional body, the International Society of Arboriculture. Spraying trees for pests for hire needs a TDA license in the lawn and ornamental category.

Dallas brush pickup and oak pruning

Dallas Sanitation's monthly brush collection, up to 10 cubic yards in pieces no more than 8 inches across or 10 feet long, is for residents' own yard waste. The city says waste from a job that needs a contractor should be disposed of by the contractor, so put haul-off in the quote. Texas A&M Forest Service advises against pruning or wounding oaks from February through June because of oak wilt, and Dallas is among the cities it lists as having had a municipal oak wilt program. Any oak wound should be painted, whatever the month.

After a big trim over the house, have Dallas roofers check the roof for limb damage. The Dallas guide covers permits, and Mesquite tree service is a nearby comparison.